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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29921145">Headphones + Heartbeat</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kerkerian/pseuds/Kerkerian'>Kerkerian</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>MacGyver (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Based on a Tumblr Post, Caretaking, Exhaustion, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Gen, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Papa Jack, Platonic Cuddling, Post-Mission, flashfic, impossiblepluto's tags</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 21:02:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>646</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29921145</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kerkerian/pseuds/Kerkerian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack helps Mac to find some rest on the plane ride home after a mission...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jack Dalton &amp; Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>95</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Headphones + Heartbeat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/impossiblepluto/gifts">impossiblepluto</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/NatalieRyan/gifts">NatalieRyan</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own MacGyver.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This was inspired by the following tumblr post: https://nade2308.tumblr.com/post/644387393226620928/incorrectmacgyvercbsquotesmatty-how-many-hours</p>
<p>Incorrectmacgyvercbsquotes if you have an AO3 account, please let me know. =)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>

<p></p><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p></p>
  <div class="">
    <p> </p>
    <p>Jack opens his eyes, blinking until they don’t feel so gritty anymore; the only sound he can hear at first is the steady hum of the plane, but he isn’t so easily fooled. There was something else just now, a clicking of sorts, of the kind that doesn’t belong in a cabin full of sleeping people.</p>
  </div>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Somewhat reluctantly because he’s just found the perfect position, Jack cranes his head and finds his suspicions confirmed. It’s Mac, who’s most decidedly not asleep but sitting up and fiddling with something, frowning.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Why did we let you have the couch when you’re not even using it, huh, hoss?” Jack mutters softly.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>When Mac looks up, his expression is sheepish: “Sorry,” he says contritely. “You wanna swap?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No, I want you to go to sleep,” Jack grumbles. “You’re running on fumes by now, kiddo. What’re you doing there anyway?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Headphones aren’t working properly,” Mac says. “I couldn’t sleep, so I thought maybe listening to something might help. Might as well throw these out though.” Which is not at all like him and only goes to show that he’s at the end of his tether, physically and mentally.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Well, he does look as exhausted as Jack feels, and the latter can see that his fingers are trembling ever so subtly.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It’s not the first time that Mac’s got trouble finding any rest on the way home or between missions, and Jack’s heart goes out to him: he is aware that the real issue aren’t those headphones or whichever other reason Mac would purport; it’s usually something else that’s bothering him, keeping that brain of his too busy to put his mind at ease and get some shut-eye.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“‘kay,” Jack now says, “good thing you got me, then.” He gets to his feet, taking his blanket with him. “Why don’t you lie down, hm?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m not tired,” Mac mutters defiantly, but when Jack stares at him sternly, he shrugs: “Fine.” With slow movements that betray just how tired he actually is, he stretches out on the couch.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Jack sits down at his hip: “Scoot over, will ya?” When Mac turns onto his side to make more room, he stretches out next to him, spreading his blanket over the both of them and putting his arm around his partner, effectively bracketing him between himself and the backrest. The couch is just wide enough to accomodate the both of them like this.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What’re you doing?” Mac sounds irritable.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Getting you to go to sleep. You don’t mind a bit of snuggling, do you?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No, but I don’t think-” Mac begins, but Jack shushes him: “Just relax,” he mutters. “It’ll be alright.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I can’t move my arms.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Don’t need’em right now.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“But-”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“If you’re still complaining in about four minutes, I’ll let you up.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Why four minutes?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“‘Cause that’s how long it takes to sing <em>Ghost Riders In the Sky</em> in my head.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“As long as you don’t sing it out loud...”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“If you ain’t careful, I will.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Mac huffs but remains silent; he wishes he had his headphones. He concentrates on the rhythm of Jack’s breathing instead, which he can feel against his neck. At first, he is still fidgeting while he’s doing so, but eventually, he begins to slacken and finally stills. With a sigh, he closes his eyes.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Okay now, hoss?” Jack asks softly when he’s certain that Mac’s calmed down; the four minutes are long over.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Mac hums in agreement: the warm weight of Jack’s body is actually utterly soothing, and now that he’s calmer, Mac can feel his partner’s heart, a steady and reassuring beat. Slowly but surely, he relaxes into Jack’s hold, the tension seeping out of him as he starts to doze off.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Thanks, Jack,” he mutters without opening his eyes again, and Jack smiles, already drowsy himself: “Anytime, hoss.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>A few minutes later, they are both asleep.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> </p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! I'm not a Native Speaker, therefore I apologize for any mistakes.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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